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Reflections on Reading “To Helen”

As is well-known to the literature circles, poems are vulnerable to different interpretations. To Helen, written by Edgar Allan Poe, lends itself to various literary reviews in the same way. A close look at the period from the end of 18th century to the middle of 19th century where Allan Poe lived might provide us with some clues about his poetic inclination.

It was a period of enlightenment and dramatic political transformation in the continent. While pioneers broke ground in the scientific, social, and artistic realms, average Americans were reading more than they ever had and were witnessing important developments in the field of art. To Helen came as an example of writing poems solely for the poem’s sake. It does not, as I see it, convey any political or social innuendos, as some critics claim. However, the numerous literary allusions teeming in the poem are very likely to lead one astray, as the British writer Aldous Huxley once remarked: “…… hard to forgive the wearing a diamond ring on every finger.” Artistic expressions aside, Allan Poe’s endeavor to promote belles-lettres (elegant literature wherein imagination and taste are predominant)is admirable even by modern standards. Furthermore, given the historical background, To Helen carries more literary significance in a continent where people later started the famous West expansion out of material concerns.